It is often necessary to close a blood vessel, lumen, duct, aneurysm, hole, fistula, or appendage, referred to herein collectively as a lumen, within a body. For example, under certain circumstances the optimum treatment for an aneurysm is to occlude the vessel that feeds blood into the lesion. In the neurovascular anatomy, this vessel may be the carotid artery, or in the peripheral vasculature, it may be an iliac artery. Additional examples include: a patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) which shunts blood from the aorta to the pulmonary artery in some newborn babies; a patent foramen ovale (PFO), an open flap in the septum separating the heart's atria; a blood vessel feeding a tumor; an atrial septal defect (ASD), a hole in the septum between the atria; an iliac artery in conjunction with a stent graft and a femoral-femoral bypass operation the closure of which provides treatment of an aortic aneurysm; an atrial appendage, which is a malformation that allows blood clots to collect, which, in turn, may cause a stroke. Furthermore, there are various types of fistula in which organs are improperly connected together such as colovaginal fistula, oromaxillary fistula, and arteriovenous malformation (AVM).
There are numerous devices in the prior art that may be used to close or otherwise occlude these lumens. One such device is a detachable balloon which is inflated in the target lumen with a liquid or polymer, then detached and maintained at or in the target. Another device is a basket-like structure formed of wires that causes clots in the blood flow thereby blocking a blood vessel. Another device is a coil or hydrogel coated coil that is deployed in a lumen. Another device is a self-expanding patch that blocks a PFO or ASD from both sides. Further examples include plugs, beads, or particles made from hydrogel or polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) that may expand upon blood contact and serve to occlude or block a lumen.
There is, however, an ongoing need to provide a more advanced and improved device for occluding lumens that is easier to place, requires fewer steps for deployment, and has a lower tendency to migrate after placement.